Contents

History

In the 1920s Philip Wright of Wollomombi led the push to have this area declared a National Park. Most of the area was declared a reserve in 1931 and in 1935 dedicated for public recreation. Between 1934 and 1956 mining leases for antimony were granted.[2]

The national park was officially opened by the Governor General Lord Gowrie in 1937,[3] although the wilderness area was recognised for its beauty as early as the 1920s.

Geography

Along the escarpment there are a number of lookouts providing expansive views.

Located on the precipitous escarpment on the east of the undulating Northern Tablelands plateau, the wilderness consists of impressive cliffs, rugged ridges, spurs and streams. To the west the Nymboida, Guy Fawkes and Styx Rivers drain across the tablelands.[5] To the east is the thickly forested Bellinger River valley.

Public access to the park focuses on the Point Lookout area (1,563 m above sea level), from where on a clear day the Pacific Ocean is visible. This lookout is the second tallest mountain in the region and one of the highest places north of the Snowy Mountains.

Flora and fauna

Moss covered trees and rocks on the Weeping Rock track

The park lies within the Eastern Australian temperate forests ecoregion.[7] It is noted for the wide variety of plant and animal species. The diverse vegetation in the park includes sub-tropical, warm temperate and cool temperate rainforest in the higher altitudes. There are also areas of sclerophyll forest, sub-alpine woodland, heathland and swampland.[5] Heathland is found at Wrights Lookout and in other patches. Estimates of the number of different plant species in the park place the figure at 500.[4] This includes snow gums (Eucalyptus pauciflora), Antarctic Beech, tree ferns and red cedars (Toona ciliata).

Facilities

There is an extensive walking track system that traverses the higher areas of the park.

Limited accommodation is available in the park at Banksia Point. If visiting in winter it is a good idea to bring warm clothes because at such a high altitude the region experiences frequent snow falls and cold temperatures.

Yaraandoo Eco-Lodge Function Centre located about 500 metres in along the Point Lookout road also offers accommodation and conference facilities in a peaceful bush style setting.

Look at other dictionaries:

New England National Park — noun a national park located east of Armidale, NSW, established in 1935. 67 300 ha … Australian English dictionary

New England National Scenic Trail — Crag Mountain along the Metacomet Monadnock Trail in Northfield, Massachusetts The New England National Scenic Trail is a National Scenic Trail in southern New England, which includes most of the three single trails Metacomet Monadnock Trail,… … Wikipedia

New Mersey Shopping Park — The complex s logo New Mersey Shopping Park (also known as Speke Retail Park) is a major out of town retail park located in Speke, Liverpool, England. It opened in 1985. With 40 stores and services, New Mersey Park is one of the largest complexes … Wikipedia

New England Range — ▪ mountains, New South Wales, Australia also called New England Tableland , or Northern Tableland section of the Eastern Highlands, or Great Dividing Range, northeastern New South Wales, Australia. The range extends 200 mi (320 km)… … Universalium

New England Mountains — Mountain range and plateau, northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Part of the Great Dividing Range, the mountains are about 200 mi (320 km) long, creating Australia s largest plateau. The highest peak, Ben Lomond, is 4,877 ft (1,487 m). The… … Universalium

National park (disambiguation) — A national park is a reserve of land. National Park may also refer to: National Park, New Jersey National Park, New Zealand National parks of Scotland National parks of England and Wales National Park (band), a music group from Glasgow, Scotland… … Wikipedia